They like phrases that sound good and mean little, like "Common Sense Conservative Jeffersonian Principles". Don't you think Thomas Jefferson would roll over in his grave if he knew how George Allen is exploiting his name?

How about this recent chestnut from W: "Transforming countries that have suffered decades of tyranny and violence is difficult, and it will take time to achieve. But the consequences will be profound... When the Middle East grows in liberty and democracy, it will also grow in peace, and that will make America and all free nations more secure." Holy crap! How could he KNOW that? Must be his years of success in transforming violent places into peaceable, freedom-loving, democratic bastions of liberty and justice for all.

What galls me is the pedantic tone of these liars. Bush talks down to everyone, telling us all what to believe. George Allen does the same, while revising history to suit his ends. If you have all the power, and tell everyone to be fearful long enough, most of them will. Allen and Bush are not so different from Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, really. 

"Elastic loaves" might translate better as "soft bread" which sounds nicer.  I don't know Persian.

I know that the French attempt to regulate the French language via the Académie française, the Quebec governement in Canada also legisilates on language.  The Germans and their neighbors recently reformed their language.  The Netherlanders and Belgians do the same with the Dutch language.  The Israelites regualate the modern Hebrew language and promote the use of Hebrew or Arabic based new words over using foreign loan words. China and Singapore simplified their spelling around the 1950s. 

I don't think the Persians having their government and some cultural institutions reform certain language practices is a big deal.

The Iranians are not crazy.  Their government is shrewd and determined.  The Persian language reforms may suit the leaderships goals, but it could also be a relatively benign nationalistic action.

The English speaking people don't try to regulate their language.  Webster and the OED are torture enough.  We're Americans, we still eat French Fries.  Pass the salt.

I agree, but Mahmoud Ahmedinejad is.  And dangerous, too.

By the way, I think all attempts to "ban" foreign words is futile, ridiculous, and kind of bonkers.  Should we ban the words "deja vu" or "renaissance" or "taco" or "Los Angeles" from the English language because they are "foreign?"  That's crazy.  Same thing with the whole "Freedom Fries" thing.  Same thing with the President of Iran.  Wacky.

What is sad is the Iranians were going to take their country back before bush stole America.  The majority of their population was under 25.  The women were experiencing new freedoms.  American-Iranians were returning for visits.  The youth of that country were not going to go without eventual internal revolution to create a healthy democracy.  They were hungry for the west. The women were showing their beauty. It was exciting and the only true revolution comes from within.  The word paradise is an Iranian word. 

Then the right wing takes over America and hostilities pour forth.  Any hopes for a western transformation are lost.  The people of Iran gather in fear and allow the Mullahs to gain in power. Bush & Co. became the perceived enemy and when there is an enemy people gather to oppose.  They leaned back into the old wacky ways.  But don't give up on them.

I think bush was in a hurry partly because they couldn't let Iran stabilize on its own.  They had to polarize them to keep plenty of enemies in the world for the war profiteers.

The many Iranian Americans that I know are devastated by the lost potential they had for gaining their country back.  The Right Wing needs lots of enemies.  The Right Wings in America and Israel have done extremely well.